Friday, June 25, 2010

The Farm of Dead Animals

Another day, another chick dead. Saw a gopher by their run so I ran out to chase it off (like that would help), but as I approached the chick run, one of the chicks wasn't up and about but just laying there. I got her out and she was near death. I think her neck was broken and she had a little welt on the neck. I held her til she died, my nice ameracauna hen. We don't understand how it happened, we have stucco wire with chicken wire over it. I guess they just jump through it. I don't know what they are after either, just feeling territorial over the six square feet of land the chicks occupy? Once again I feel deflated. We don't have a safe area for the chicks, and they are out growing their space so we need to move them in with the big hens, and the big hen run has gophers galore. We might have to build a whole new coop and run for the chicks but we just have no time for that, and its expensive. Dilemma. I inquired about buying a 22 but apparently I have to take a PAT course for over $100 and the next class is in the fall. Well next summer I will be armed and ready. Saw another gopher in the garden, maybe they can jump through chicken wire....